The subject matter herein relates generally to a connector having a coupling mechanism.
With the increasing demands on and complexity of modern electronic systems in high reliability applications such as military and aerospace, there is a continuing need to incorporate more electronic equipment into a confined space, while at the same time ensuring reliability in harsh environments. In such applications, connector systems provide a critical communication link between physically separated electronic devices. Connector systems have to satisfy many competing requirements. For example, connectors may need to be capable of withstanding a rugged environment that includes vibration, wide temperature swings, moisture, and exposure to hazardous materials and chemical contaminants. Connectors may need to be compact to permit many interconnections to be made within a small area and include a number of individual pieces.
Connectors may need to provide feedback to the installer to ensure that the connectors are properly and/or fully mated. For example, connectors may include visual indicators, such as a line on one of the connectors that needs to be covered by the other connector to indicate that the connectors are fully mated. However, in some environments, it may be difficult or impossible to visually see if the connectors are fully mated. For example, in densely populated areas of the system, the connectors may be positioned in close proximity to other components, making it difficult to visualize the indicators. Furthermore, some applications require blind mating of the connectors. Additionally, when using tools to install the connectors, it is possible that the connectors may be damaged or destroyed during mating, such as from overtightening. Components of the connectors, such as the contacts, may be bent or improperly mated, which may increase the mating force, falsely indicating to the installer that the connectors are fully mated. Additionally, foreign object debris between the connectors may lead to high mating forces, again falsely indicating to the installer that the connectors are fully mated.
A need remains for an improved coupling mechanism capable of providing installer feedback of proper mating of the connectors.